Movies often feature images of lovers and pigeons in the iconic Saint Mark’s Square in Venice, known to locals simply as “The Piazza.” It’s no wonder many structures in and around this architecturally stunning city center have been deemed national monuments and been recognized by UNESCO World Heritage for their historical and artistic significance. The monuments reflect Venice’s medieval golden age, when dukes called “doges” ruled, and the city-state was a great financial and naval power at the crossroads of Eastern and Western civilizations.

Palaces

The Palazzo Ducale, or "Doge's Palace," has 500 feet of ornate facade with arched columns supporting its marble-surfaced third story. It was built in stages, beginning in the ninth century, and finally reaching its current dimensions in the early 1600s. All the while, the palace served as headquarters for the Venetian government and home to the royal family. Now, it’s a museum and houses the offices of the historical monuments protection agency. Just around the corner stands a much more modest, yet still classically elegant, palace, which belonged to the Cardinal Patriarch of Venice. Visitors may schedule a tour of the recently restored quarters, which is filled with medieval religious art.

Churches

Basilica di San Marco’s Byzantine design and immense grandeur render it the dominant edifice in St. Mark’s Square. Named for the saint whose remains it holds, the basilica is covered with art inside and out -- from the four bronze horse statues stolen from Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade to the 86,000 sq. ft. of gilded mosaics covering the domed ceiling. Across the Grand Canal from St. Mark’s Square, another church commands awe: Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute. The octagonal monument was commissioned in the aftermath of the plague and was completed in 1687.

Towers

Perhaps the most visible landmark in Venice, St. Mark’s Campanile, rises about 325 ft. high and was first used as a military watchtower. It collapsed in 1902 due in part to the island’s inherently unstable ground. A replica with a strong wooden foundation now stands in its place. Tourists can take an elevator to the top and view spectacular panoramas of the Venetian lagoon. The Campanile isn’t the only tower in St. Mark’s Square; however, the Torre dell'Orologio, or “Moor’s clock tower,” is much smaller but equally fascinating. The 15th-century clock displays the time, the lunar phase, and the zodiac sign.

Bridges

The Bridge of Sighs, which connects the Doge’s Palace to a prison on the opposite side of a small canal, gained its nickname from poets who imagined the prisoners exhaling wistfully as they caught their last glimpse of the outside world before entering their jail cells. Not far from the palace, the Rialto Bridge spans the Grand Canal and shades hundreds of passing gondolas daily. The covered bridge, with its 24-ft. arch, is one of the most highly trafficked in the city.